Self-propelling toy



April 23, 1963 c. H. RIKER SELF-PROPELLING TOY Filed June 4, 1959 IN VEN TOR. CHA mes fliZ/KER BY 74 W WAW ATTORNfY United States Patent 3,086,316 SELF-PROPELLING TOY Charles H. Riker, 30 Merrie Trail, Denville, NJ. Filed June 4, 1959, Ser. No. 818,053 3 Claims. (Cl. 46-50) The present invention relates to self-propelling toys. More particularly, it relates to a self-propelled gyroscopic toy.

Gyroscopic toys have previously been proposed in which gyroscopic stabilizing action is provided by a rotor which spins freely within a cage. The present invention, however, is concerned with a gyroscopic toy which not only is gyroscopic-ally stabilized by a rotor which spins within a cage or frame, but which also is capable of self propulsion (of the entire toy) by providing for the impartation of energy of rotation from the rotor to the outer cage or toy as a whole.

Thus it is an object of the present invention to provide a gyroscopic toy which permits of stable operation in a vertical plane and which also permits of either stationary or self-propelled operation, i.e., walking, of the toy as a Whole.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a self-propelling gyroscopic toy which walks or is selfpropelled with a spasmodic motion.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a self-propelling gyroscopic toy which walks in either a straight line or in a circle, as initially directed.

A further object of the present invention is a gyroscopic toy which walks or is self-propelling when held captive on a tether.

Yet another object of the present invention is provision of a gyroscopic toy which can be rolled away from an operator in either a straight line or a curve, and which will propell itself back to the operator along the same path or curve. I

Additional objects of this invention will also become apparent from an examination of the ensuing description, drawings, and claims.

In accordance with the present invention a selfpropelling gyroscopic toy comprises an outer Wheel, a frame mounted on said outer wheel and supporting a rotor disposed to spin freely within said outer wheel, means movable to couple energy of rotation from said rotor, when spinning in a vertical plane, to said outer wheel, biasing means normally forcing said energy-coupling means to uncoupled condition, and means for overcoming said bias while said rotor is spinning in a vertical plane, whereby energy of rotation is coupled to said outer wheel, causing rotation, and thereby propulsion, of the entire toy.

The invention will be described further in connection with the accompanying drawings which are to be considered as exemplary of the invention and do not constitute limitations thereof.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a gyroscopic toy in accordance with the present invention showing four equally spaced clutches for imparting energy of rotation from a spinning rotor to an outer wheel;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of FIG. 1 along the line 2-2 and illustrating the use of the instant toy on a tether;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of one of the clutches of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of an alternate clutch structure.

In FIGS. 1-3 a rotor consisting of a flywheel '12 is carried on a hub or spindle 14 from which protrudes the journals 16 of a central shaft or axle 18. The journals "ice 16 are seated in bearings 20' in each of two frame members 22 aflixed by bolts 24 to a surrounding ring or outer wheel 26 which is concentric with the rotor 10 and which has a curved outer peripheral surface 38.

Disposed apart around the outer wheel 26 are four mechanical friction clutches 28. These clutches are illustrated in their normal, disengaged position.

Each clutch 28 comprises a plate 30 carried by a clutch shaft 32. On engagement of a clutch 28, the plate 30 contacts and is frictionally driven by the peripheral surface 34 of the flywheel 12 which constitutes the driving member of the clutch assembly. Each clutch shaft 32 is housed or supported in a bushing 36 formed in the outer wheel 26. The clutch shaft extends to or slightly beyond the outer peripheral edge 38 of the outer wheel 26, and carries, threaded on its outer terminus, a jam nut which constitutes an enlarged head 40. A nest 42 is provided to accept the enlarged head of the clutch shaft within the outer Wheel 26. A spring cup 44 is provided in the outer wheel to retain a compression spring 46 which seats at one end against the bottom of the spring cup 44 and at the other end against the underside of the enlarged outer head 40 carried by the clutch shaft 32. The inner circumferential surface 49 of the outer wheel is also recessed to provide a housing 50 which accepts the back of .the clutch plate 30.

A resilient membrane 52 covers the entire outer periphery of the toy, encompassing the perimeter of the outer wheel and the enlarged outer head 40 of the clutch shaft. The modulus of elasticity and dimensions of the compression spring 46 are selected such that the spring normally overcomes any counter action of the resilient membrane 52 and urges the clutch 28 to the open or disengaged position illustrated. The compression spring is chosen, however, so that it exerts a net biasing force which is less than the weight of the toy, with the result that if the weight of the toy is applied to, or must be home by, the enlarged head 40 on the clutch shaft 32, the clutch shaft 32 slides inward axially causing the clutch plate 30 to engage the surface of the flywheel 12.

A pull string 62 is coiled around the hub 14.

In operation, the pull string 62 is drawn off the hub 14 in the conventional manner to cause the rotor 10 to spin at a high angular velocity. After the rotor is spinning, the toy is placed in an upright or vertical position on a horizontal surface such as a floor or table top. Thereafter, the toy will remain upright as long as the rotor continues to spin with adequate velocity to exert a gyro scopic stabilizing action.

If the toy, with rotor spinning, is placed stationary on the periphery 38 of the outer wheel 26 (or membrane cover 52 thereover), as distinguished from an enlarged head 40 of one of the clutch shafts 32 (or portion of the membrane covering such an enlarged head), the toy will remain stationary while the rotor spins.

However, if the toy, with rotor Spinning in a vertical plane, is rested on oneof the clutch heads 40- (or membrane cover thereover), the weight of the toy is then imposed on the clutch shaft in opposition to the force of the biasing spring 46, which has been selected such that its force of compression throughout the range of throw necessary to close the clutch is less than the weight of the toy. As a result, when the weight of the toy bears on the clutch shaft, it overcomes the biasing action of the compression spring and causes the clutch to close against the spinning rotor 10. When the clutch plate contacts the spinning rotor, energy of rotation is transmitted through the clutch to the outer wheel, causing it, and therefore the entire toy, to spin. Of course, rotation of the toy transfers support of its weight from the clutch to the outer wheel, thus enabling the spring to again urge the clutch to its normal, disengaged position.

Once the toy as a whole has started to rotate, an additional impulse of energy of rotation is transferred from the rotor to the outer wheel each time the toy rolls over a clutch, ie, each time the weight ofthe toy must be supported by the enlarged head of a clutch. As a result of this cycloidal application of impetuses, the toy travels or Walks with a fascinating spasmodic motion.

It will be appreciated, of course, that the toy may also be placed on a horizontal surface with an initial rolling motion, and that if this motion is such that it has the same sense of rotation as that in which the rotor is spinning, the toy will continue to travel in the same direction under its own impetus. On the other hand, if the toy is initially rolled in a manner contrary to the sense of rotation of the rotor, the toy will roll in the initial direction only until suflicient energy has been imparted from the rotor to the outer wheel to overcome the initial kinetic energy employed in rolling the toy, and the toy will then reverse the direction in which it rolls.

It will be further appreciated that it is not necessary to operate the toy in a strictly vertical plane. It is only necessary that it be operated in a substantially vertical plane, such that the weight of the toy is applied to a clutch in a manner which overcomes the bias of the clutch spring or biasing means. Thus if the toy is tipped or inclined instead of being placed on a horizontal surface or a floor in a vertical plane, it will walk in a circle, the diameter of which will depend on the original inclination of the toy. Of course, if desired, it is also possible to employ an outer wheel having a flat outer peripheral surface rather than a rounded or curved one as illustrated. However, in such a case, inclined operation will not be feasible.

Also illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 is a tether 56 having a swivel head clip 55 which is clipped, in the manner of a leash, to a loop 54 provided on one of the frame members 22 of the toy. The remote end of the tether is afiixed to a weight 60 or other stationary restraining member, with the result that the toy walks on the tether in a circle about the central weight.

The toy of FIGS. 1-3 may be fabricated of any suitable material. For instance the rotor and outer wheel may be wood, plastic, metal (e.g. die cast metal) or any suitable combination of these or other materials. Rubber has been found eminently satisfactory as an outer membrane or covering for the outer wheel and clutch heads in that it is elastomeric and conforms readily to the shape of the surfaces it is desired to cover. It also exhibits non-skid properties desirable in conjunction with the application of impulses of energy during the periodic engagements of the clutches during operation of the toy.

A wide variety of materials may also be employed to fabricate the members of the clutch, including rubber or metal, e.g., steel for the clutch plate, steel for the clutch shaft, wood or plastic for the clutch bushing, and metal or plastic for the enlarged clutch head.

In FIG. 4 is illustrated an alternative clutch construction. In this construction, a die-cast spoked plastic flywheel 70 having a metal rim 72 is employed. The outer wheel 74 is formed by a metal ring provided with a rectangular slot 76, which of course is narrower than the width of the ring. Fastened to the inner surface of the outer wheel 74 is one end of a strip of spring steel 78 which is formed to a reverse S-curve having a tail 80 on one end. The tail 80 is atfixed to the outer wheel 74 by a rivet 82; the other end 83 of the spring is free. The knee 84 of the S-shaped spring 78 adjacent to the riveted tail 80 protrudes through the slot 76. The modulus of elasticity or stiffness of the spring 78 is coordinated with its shape and dimensions such that when the weight of the entire toy bears on the protruding knee 8 the spring flexes until the other knee or how 36 near the free end 83 of the spring engages the rim 72, resulting in energy of rotation being coupled from the flywheel 70 to the outer wheel 74 or toy as a whole.

It is to be understood that the invention herein illustrated and described is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims and that various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the true spirit of the invention. Thus one may, for instance, use any of numerous methods to accelerate or spin the rotor, including a spring drive that is initially and temporarily coupled to the rotor through a split or splined shaft arrangement, or one may employ selfcontained and rewinding overrunning drives or the like.

What is claimed is:

l. A walking gyroscopic toy adapted to rotate in a vertical plane and to walk along a horizontal surface with spasmodic motion, said toy comprising an annular outer wheel having a rounded outer peripheral surface, a frame mounted on said outer wheel, a rotor supported on said frame and adapted to spin concentrically within said outer wheel, a friction clutch mounted on said outer wheel engageable with the outer periphery of said rotor to couple energy of rotation from said rotor, when spinning, to said outer wheel, said clutch having extension means disposed outwardly radially beyond the outer periphery of said outer wheel, a biasing spring urging said clutch to a disengaged position and urging said extension means outwardly, said biasing spring having a force less than that produced by the weight of the toy so that the net biasing force is overcome and said clutch is engaged when the weight of said toy is transmitted through said clutch extension means to said clutch, thus causing a momentary impulse of energy of rotation to be imparted from said rotor to said outer wheel each time the weight of said toy is transmitted to said clutch as said toy rolls along a horizontal surface, whereby the toy walks with a spasmodic motion.

2. A walking gyroscopic toy adapted to rotate in a vertical plane and to walk along a horizontal surface with spasmodic motion, said toy comprising an annular outer wheel having a rounded outer peripheral surface, a frame mounted on said outer wheel, a rotor supported on said frame and adpted to spin concentrically within said outer wheel, a friction clutch mounted on said outer wheel engageable with the outer periphery of said rotor to couple energy of rotation from said rotor, when spinning, to said outer wheel, said clutch having extension means disposed outwardly radially beyond the outer periphery of said outer wheel, a biasing spring urging said clutch to a disengaged position and urging said extension means outwardly, a resilient membrane covering the outer peripheral surface of said annular outer wheel and acting on said clutch extension means in opposition to and with less force than said biasing spring whereby said clutch is normally maintained in disengaged condition by a net biasing force less than the weight of said toy, said biasing spring having a force less than that produced by the weight of the toy so that the net biasing force is overcome and said clutch is engaged when the Weight of said toy is transmitted through said membrane and said clutch extension means to said clutch, thus causing a momentary impulse of energy of rotation to be imparted from said rotor to said outer wheel each time the weight of said toy is transmitted through said membrane to said clutch as said toy rolls along a horizontal surface, whereby the toy walks with a spasmodic motion.

3. A walking gyroscopic toy adapted to rotate in a vertical plane and to walk along a horizontal surface with spasmodic motion, said toy comprising an annular outer wheel having a rounded outer peripheral surface, a frame mounted on said outer wheel, a rotor supported on said frame and adapted to spin concentrically within said outer wheel, a plurality of independent friction clutches mounted equidistantly on said outer wheel each independently engageable with the outer periphery of said rotor to couple energy of rotation from said rotor, when spinning, to said outer Wheel, each of said clutches having extension means disposed outwardly radially beyond the outer periphery of said outer wheel, a biasing spring urging each of said clutches to a disengaged position and urging said extension means outwardly, a resilient membrane covering the outer peripheral surface of said annular outer wheel and acting on said clutches extension means in opposition to and with less force than said biasing springs whereby said clutches are normally maintained in disengaged condition by a net biasing :Eorce less than the weight of said toy, said biasing springs having a force less than that produced by the weight of the toy so that the net biasing force is overcome and said clutches are engaged when the weight of said toy is transmitted through said membrane and said clutches extension means to said clutches, thus causing a momentary impulse of energy of rotation to be imparted from said rotor to said outer wheel each time the weight of said toy is transmitted through said membrane to said clutches as said toy rolls along a horizontal surface, whereby the toy walks with a spasmodic motion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 236,259 Reid Jan. 4, 1881 1,363,718 Cayo Dec. 20, 1920 1,887,856 Merwin Nov. 15, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS 172,557 Great Britain Dec. 15, 1921 808,437 Germany July 16, 1951 

1. A WALKING GYROSCOPIC TOY ADAPTED TO ROTATE IN A VERTICAL PLANE AND TO WALK ALONG A HORIZONTAL SURFACE WITH SPASMODIC MOTION, SAID TOY COMPRISING AN ANNULAR OUTER WHEEL HAVING A ROUNDED OUTER PERIPHERAL SURFACE, A FRAME MOUNTED ON SAID OUTER WHEEL, A ROTOR SUPPORTED ON SAID FRAME AND ADAPTED TO SPIN CONCENTRICALLY WITHIN SAID OUTER WHEEL, A FRICTION CLUTCH MOUNTED ON SAID OUTER WHEEL ENGAGEABLE WITH THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF SAID ROTOR TO COUPLE ENERGY OF ROTATION FROM SAID ROTOR, WHEN SPINNING, TO SAID OUTER WHEEL, SAID CLUTCH HAVING EXTENSION MEANS DISPOSED OUTWARDLY RADIALLY BEYOND THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF SAID OUTER WHEEL, A BIASING SPRING URGING SAID CLUTCH TO A DISENGAGED POSITION AND URGING SAID EXTENSION MEANS OUTWARDLY, SAID BIASING SPRING HAVING A FORCE LESS THAN THAT PRODUCED BY THE WEIGHT OF THE TOY SO THAT THE NET BIASING FORCE IS OVERCOME AND SAID CLUTCH IS ENGAGED WHEN THE WEIGHT OF SAID TOY IS TRANSMITTED THROUGH SAID CLUTCH EXTENSION MEANS TO SAID CLUTCH, THUS CAUSING A MOMENTARY IMPULSE OF ENERGY OF ROTATION TO BE IMPARTED FROM SAID ROTOR TO SAID OUTER WHEEL EACH TIME THE WEIGHT OF SAID TOY IS TRANSMITTED TO SAID CLUTCH AS SAID TOY ROLLS ALONG A HORIZONTAL SURFACE, WHEREBY THE TOY WALKS WITH A SPASMODIC MOTION. 